Coaching Skills Training: Coaching and Personality Disorders

"Respect the power of coaching questions" is one of the first learning points that I cover with the managers I train as coaches. I go on to explain that they must recognize the possibility that what starts as coaching around a simple, work related issue, may lead to the unveiling of a more significant problem. In my view, coaching managers should develop at least a little psychological awareness. Consider for example, the two main types of personality disorder, Multiple Personality and Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Multiple Personality

It is increasingly being recognized that it may be possible for more than one personality to exist within the same individual. This is a fascinating area of abnormal psychology but must not be confused with schizophrenia which is about divisions within one personality.

In studying sufferers of this condition, psychologists and other observers may notice two or more distinct personalities emerging. The emergence of one of the 'alternative' personalities will be marked by obvious changes in posture, language and tone. In some cases, the alternative personalities may not be aware of the existence of each other and may each be quite different. It is almost as if there is a 'good side' and a 'bad side'of the same individual.

The condition is thought to arise when, in an attempt to cope with a traumatic experience, an individual slips into a kind of fugue state; a sort of self-hypnosis. If this succesfully provides relief, then the method is used time and again until the alternate personalities are effectively set in place and can be summoned at will.

Thigpen and Cleckley (1954) uncovered 'Eve White,' 'Eve Black' and 'Eve Grey' within the same young lady, each with a very different personality. It is easy to see why, in less sophisticated times, sufferers would be dismissed as being possessed.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Once called Psychopaths or Sociopaths, the distinguishing feature for sufferers of this condition is that there is little if any personal trauma. The sociopath is perfectly self-content but a danger to society as the condition is marked by an absence of morality or conscience.

Symptons include: emotional flatness and a lack of empathy, a disposition towards senseless, often violent crime and a tendency towards lying, theft and vandalism.

Treatment is very difficult; Imprisonment simply gives access to other criminals, physical punishment is counter-productive and psychotherapy usually fails to bring about the required insight. Non-institutional, moderate punishment is considered the most effective.

The sociopath has provided a rich vein of source material in recent times for the writers and producers of written and filmed thrillers. The best known example being Dr Hannibal Lekter from the book and the film: The Silence of the Lambs.

What then of the coaching manager who perhaps unwittingly uncovers signs of such issues when coaching around workload management or time keeping? My advice would be to rely on solid coaching principles. Ask questions designed to raise awareness, generate responsibility and build trust then listen carefully and attentively to the responses. This is not going to worsen the situation and may, in fact, do some good.

After that, it's a question of referring the coachee to the relevant professional. I therefore recommend that managers with an intererst in coaching this way familiarize themselves with their organization's welfare procedure.